Former England striker Alan Shearer has defended Thomas Tuchel despite the manager's tactics coming under fire after England's 2-1 World Cup semi-final defeat by Argentina. Shearer argues that although Tuchel failed to deliver the tournament win he was hired for, this single setback should not cost him his job, especially as England had a strong chance of reaching their first World Cup final in 60 years. The result matters because Tuchel was specifically brought in to get England past the stage where the team has repeatedly fallen short in recent tournaments.

Shearer criticised Tuchel's decision to sit deep after England took the lead and his substitutions during the match, saying the promised expansive style against a team chasing the game never materialised, allowing Lionel Messi too much space to influence the game. Tuchel, appointed in January 2025 and given a two-year contract extension in February that runs through the 2028 European Championship co-hosted by England, said after the game he had no regrets over his approach. Shearer suggests those comments should not be taken too literally given the rawness of a fresh defeat, and that Tuchel's methods should instead be judged once he has had time to reflect and in England's upcoming matches.